Aseefa Bhutto Urges Public Support as Final Nationwide Polio Campaign Begins

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan launched its final nationwide polio vaccination campaign of the year on Monday, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari appealed to parents, caregivers and community leaders to actively support efforts aimed at protecting children from the crippling disease.

The campaign targets more than 45 million children under the age of five across the country and will continue until December 21. Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, where polio is still endemic. According to official figures, the country has recorded 30 polio cases this year, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reporting the highest number at 19.

In a statement issued ahead of the campaign’s commencement, Aseefa Bhutto emphasised the need for collective responsibility to ensure the drive’s success. “The success of the campaign depends on our collective responsibility, so we must ensure that every child under five years of age receives polio drops,” she said.

Health authorities aim to vaccinate 45.4 million children nationwide, including 23.3 million in Punjab, 10.6 million in Sindh, 7.3 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 2.66 million in Balochistan. Children in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and the Islamabad Capital Territory will also be covered.

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The vaccination drive is being conducted in coordination with Afghanistan’s December polio campaign to reduce the risk of cross-border transmission of the virus. Officials have long identified population movement between the two countries as a major challenge in eradication efforts.

Recalling the legacy of her mother, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, Aseefa said Pakistan’s first nationwide polio eradication campaign was launched under her leadership in 1994. She noted that her mother’s vision continues to guide the country’s fight against the disease.

She also shared a personal reflection, recalling that Benazir Bhutto had administered the first polio drops to her as a child. “That moment marked the beginning of Pakistan’s national fight against polio and shaped my lifelong commitment to the effort,” she said.

According to campaign details, a three-day house-to-house vaccination drive will be followed by a catch-up day, while high-risk areas will observe extended strategies, including mobile teams and community-based vaccination. A total of 408,484 frontline polio workers have been deployed nationwide.

Aseefa Bhutto also called on elected representatives, religious leaders and community elders to support vaccination teams, counter misinformation and help ensure that no child is missed.